1. Women Fisher Folks, SRHR and Climate Change
Protecting Human Rights, Health and Gender Equality from Climate Change
Women Fisher Folks, SRHR and Climate Change
Dr. Joan Castro
Philippines

2. Republic of the Philippines
7,100 islands
100 M people (2014)
70% live in coastal areas
High poverty incidence among fishers % vs. 26.5% (2009)
Fishing-dependent
1 of 17 mega diverse countries
Highly prone to natural disasters (tropical cyclones, flooding, storm surges, erosion)

3. Scoping Study Rationale
Determine the awareness on Climate change; inter-linkages of sexual and reproductive health rights, population, health, environment and climate change; benefits of integration particularly among vulnerable groups in the coastal ecosystem; and critical factors and actions for climate change resiliency.

4. Specific Objectives What the various perspectives on climate change?
How are SRHR, PHE and climate change linked and why they should be integrated?
What are the actions and policies needed to enable women and fishers to become resilient to climate change?

5. Key Findings
Women and fishers households are experiencing and concerned about the effects of climate change
Most affected will be the next generation; families with many children ; large families and low and no stable income; women & children
Population, SRHR, health, environment are and climate change are interrelated and interdependent issues
We catch lesser and lesser fish. The fish must be going somewhere else, maybe because the ocean is getting warmer, the waves are stronger and bigger and its direction changing.” (Fisher FGD 2014)

6. The Story of Jovita Ramo
Jovita rocks crying Jonel on her 7-month pregnant belly. She’s 37 years old and mother to 8 children. She never had prenatal checkups. Tried pills, but stopped.
She married Nelson at 17. He fishes and does odd jobs when fishing was impossible with unpredictable weather. While doing carpentry, he was electrocuted and fell. He was bedridden, they had to move in with Nelson's mother.
Every meal was a struggle. The community shared what they can. The eldest now works as a housemaid.
With no savings and impending delivery, for now Jovita worries most how she would deliver her 9th baby.

7. Advocacy Outcomes that have been Achieved
Reached national and local policy makers, stakeholder and networks from various sectors, civil society representatives through various activities such as
National Advocacy Dialogues
National PHE Summit
6th PHE Conference Nov 2016
Research Forum
International
Women Deliver Conference
Community activities
Films

8. Challenges faced in doing advocacy
Timing of the National Elections
New Leaders
Advocacy activities are both strategic and opportunistic.. Implementing the planned activities and at the same time leveraging existing activities, partnership and collaboration are essential in advocacy.

9. Implications for Policy and Practice
Institute comprehensive measures that provide multisectoral services as part of equity-focused programs and to build climate change resiliency
Mainstream integrated SRHR, health, and biodiversity conservation into policies, programs including SGD agenda and discourse to address poverty, food security, gender equality, good health and well-being and climate action

10. Design programs and plans and create policies that considers the women and the future generations.